Re: CALLING ALL CHALLIS FAMILIES

Dear Jill, One of my childhood memories is of my father claiming that the reason we were so impoverished was that his aunt had run off with the family fortune to Australia. I always took this with a large pinch of salt as my father did like to "embellish the truth" shall we say. However you could have knocked me down with a feather when wandering up Pitt st. in Sydney a few years ago there was a large building with the word Challis carved in large letters on the front.(There is also a Challis st near Potts Point)Where we came from I don't know. My father was Eric William Guy Fawcett Challis, my grandfather was Guy William Fawcett Challis and I have a silver ink stand engraved to William Guy Challis from 1857 on his retirement.(Possibly my great great grandfather?) I also have a photograph taken in New York in the 19th Century of my great granfather and I think that is an Irish American link.I also think that at some stage Fawcett- Challis was hyphenated. Hope this has been of some help. P.S If you still have the millions my great aunt ran off with you can make cheques payable to Guy Challis!!